Finding a GP and a dentist
Register with a general practitioner (praktický lékař) and a dentist near home before you need one. If nobody will take you, your health insurer has to help you find a doctor.
In Czechia you register with one GP (praktický lékař) for routine care, sick notes and referrals, and with one dentist (zubař). Children have their own GP for children and adolescents (praktický lékař pro děti a dorost). Register early, because many practices are full.
You can choose any doctor who has a contract with your health insurance company. A doctor can refuse you for specific reasons, such as already having too many patients, or because you live too far away for GP care. If you are refused, ask for the reason in writing.
To find doctors, use your insurer's search. VZP has a provider search at vzp.cz/poskytovatele/vyhledavac and a list of practices taking part in its VZP PLUS programme (plus.vzp.cz/seznam), which encourages doctors to accept new patients. The national register of providers (nrpzs.uzis.cz) lists every provider with phone numbers and the insurers they work with. Other insurers have similar searches on their websites.
If you still cannot find a GP or dentist near home, contact your insurer by phone, at a branch or by email, with your insurance number and date of birth. The insurer is responsible for making care available within a reasonable distance. If it does not help, you can complain on the Ministry of Health form at nedostupnapece.mzcr.cz (in Czech, Ukrainian and Russian).
Out of hours, go to the emergency service (pohotovost), not your GP. Since 1 January 2026 the health insurers organise these services. Medical pohotovost must open at least three hours on weekday evenings and at least eight hours on weekends and holidays, including 10:00 to 16:00. Dental pohotovost runs at least four hours on weekends and holidays. Check pohotovosti.vzp.cz for the right place and hours on the day. In a real emergency, call 155.
In Brno
The Brno Expat Centre has a step-by-step guide to making your insurer find you a doctor, including what to write and how to escalate.
Step by step
- Search for GPs and dentists near your home on your insurer's website or nrpzs.uzis.cz
- Call or visit practices and ask if they take new patients (nové pacienty)
- If you are refused, ask for the reason in writing
- If you cannot find anyone, ask your insurer in writing to find you a doctor
- Save pohotovosti.vzp.cz and the numbers 155 and 112 on your phone
Last checked 2026-11-11. Open this guide in the app to add the dates to your calendar.